High Beam #13365

This old steam locomotive and vintage freight cars were heading slowly into the mountain tunnel on a January afternoon, the smoke gathering against the roof and a penetrating headlight showing the way. This original Western Maryland Railroad right of way was once double tracked and that's where I stood safely out of the way as it went by. Today, this railroad is a tourist line and is a rails with trails and this original mainline is broken further up the mountain at Frostburg, MD. Curious tourists out joyriding are the only revenue this line ever sees anymore and you can ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad too...see www.wmsr.com.

I spent an entire day with a group of photographers shooting this train in different locations along the remaining sixteen miles of track. The sun didn't shine at all that cold day, but thankfully, the chill turned to an advantage because it made for large dramatic clouds of smoke and steam.